Mouthpiece for wind instruments



Jan. 20, 1931. H. SELMER MOUTHPIECE FOR WIND INSTRUMENTS Filed Feb. 20, 1929 I .7 IIIIII'IIII 1 d 6 .Z r w ing such mouthpieces, to merge the tone Patented Jan. 20, 1931- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HENRI SELMER, 0F PARIS, FRANCE MOUTHPIECE FOR WIND INSTRUMENTS Application filed February 20, 1929. Serial No. 341,475. 1

of which the mouthpiece is preferably formed.

The opposite face of the mouthpiece has a relativelyfiat inclined lay surface 9 which meets the surface 7 at the point 10 of the body. An ordinary reed 11 rests on the lay surface and is firmly held in position by a ligature 12 of special form. This ligature includes a body having forwardly and down- Wardly curved legs 13, a forwardly projecting tongue 14, and a screw threaded rear extremity 15. Pins 16 pass through apertures 17 in the arms 13, and pivotally connect the ligature to the exterior of the nouthpiece, v and the tongue 12 is curved to conformto the 55 outer surface of the reed, and acts to press the reed evenly against the lay surface. A hand screw 18 engages the threaded end 15 of the ligature, and bears upon a small leaf spring 19, which in turn bears upon the outer surface of the reed rearwardly of the portion engaged by the tongue. It may be readily seen from the drawing that when the screw is turned to cause its inner end to move toward the mouthpiece, the spring 19 will be constrained to force the rear end of the reed against the lay surface, and at. the same time, the tongue will bear upon another portion of the reed and. force that portion toward the lay surface. Consequently, the reed 8 will be firmly held in position, and at the same time it may be instantaneously removed or adjusted by turning the screw 18 in the proper direction, and then manipulating the This invention relates to improvements in wind instruments, and more particularly to mouthpieces for saxophones or the like.

It has been the usual practice in constructchamber into a relatively smaller bore, and to insert the neck of the saxophone or the like, into such bore. Such a construction provides pockets or recesses which interfere with the passage of the sound from the tone chamber into the body of the instrument. The primary object of the present invention is to furnish a mouthpiece having an internal tubular extension, the bore of which forms a clear unobstructed passageway that extends into the ordinary nipple which projects from the discharge end of the mouthpiece. As such tubular extension is spaced from the inner surface of the nipple, an annular recess is provided within the mouthpiece to receive the neck of the instrument, without forming cavities or pockets which will interfere with the tone of the instrument.

A further object is to provide a mouthpiece with an improved reed holder or ligature, which maintains an even pressure on the reed without marring the latter.

With the foregoing objects outlined and .with other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, my invention consists in the novel features hereinafter described in detail, illustrated in the accompanying drawing, and more particularly .pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawing, reed.

Fig. 1 is a bottom plan view of my im- The forward end of the reed, as is usual, proved mouthpiece. obstructs the mouth 20 of the tone chamber Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical sectional 21, and this mouth is flared forwardly from .view of the same, taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1. a bore 22 of substantially uniform diameter Fig. 3 is a side elevation. throughout its length. and formed in an Fig, 4 is a perspective view of the body of auxiliary tube 23, which projects rearwardly the reed holder or ligature. into the main tube or nipple 24. As the tubes Fig. 5 is a transverse vertical sectional view 23 and 24 are spaced apart, an annular recess von the line 5-5 of Fig. 2. 25 is thus provided, and this recess receives 45 In the drawing, 6 designates the tubular the forward end of the neck of the instrubody of my improved mouthpiece, preferment (not shown), when the mouthpiece is ably provided at one side of its forward end placed on the instrument. Due to the auxilportion with an inclined surface 7, in which iary tube 23, an unobstructed passageway is on oval hard rubber pad 8 is inserted to reprovided from the tone chamber 21, directly 50 lieve the teeth of contacting with the metal into the instrument, and there are no pockets 1 or crevices present m interfere with the tonal qualities of the instrument.

F rom. the foregoing description it is believed that the construction, operation and advantages of the invention may be readily understood, and it is manifest that changes may be made in the details disclosed, without departing from the spirit of the invention, as expressed in the claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: V

1. A mouthpiece for wind instruments, including a tubular body having a tone chamber and a main bore, and an auxiliary tubular part fixed to the tubular body and projecting from the tone chamber into the main bore, in spaced relation to the latter.

2. Amouthpiece for wind instruments, including a tubular body having a tone chamber and a main bore, an auxiliary tubular member fixed to the tubular body, arranged Within the latter and projecting from the tone chamber into the main bore in spaced relation to the latter, said tone chamber being forwardly flared and the auxiliary tubular member having a bore of substantially uniform diameter throughout its length, which merges into the tone chamber and the main bore.

3. A mouthpiece for wind instruments, in cluding a tubular body having an internal tone chamber in its forward portion, and a main bore in its rear portion, and an auxil iary tubular member arranged within the medial portion of the tubular body, and projecting from the tone chamber into the main bore in spaced relation to the latter.

4. A wind instrument including a tubular body having atone chamber and a tubular extension projecting rearwardly from the tone chamber, said tone chamber being forwardly flared and the bore of the tubular extension being of substantially uniform diameter throughout its length and merging into the tone chamber, said tubular extension having a cylindrical external surface to be inserted in the neck of a wind instrument.

5. In a mouthpiece for wind instruments, a tubular body having a tone chamber, a lay surface on the exterior of the body, said lay surface being provided .with an opening servingas a mouth for the tone chamber, a reed resting on the lay surface and a ligature pivotally mounted on the tubular body and bearing against said reed.

6. In a mouthpiece for wind instruments, including a tubular body having a tone chamber and a lay surface, the mouth of the tone chamber opening through. said lay surface, a reed recting on the lay surface, and a ligature pivotally mounted on the mouthpiece and bearing at forward and rear points upon the reed.

7 A mouthpiece for wind instruments, including a tubular body having a tone cham- ,ese

ber and a lay surface, the mouth of the tone" 

